Saturday, May 12, 2012

You are my best mom who is being very supportive,caring,loving,sacrificing,hardworking to us.U are truly blessed by God and We love you lots and miss you my dear mom. Wishing you very Happy Mother's Day.

I made lemon bars,chocolate cupcakes,vanilla cupcake and very special Tres Leches cake at my home before mother's day arrives :) Here are the recipes below and Enjoyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Surprise it with your mom!!!! Miss u my mom.1. Lemon BarsLemon Bars are a type of American cookie bar that has the texture of a firm cake and are softer too.Its cut into triangles or squares.Its made up of fresh lemons which makes you to feel nice citrus lemony flavor :) Its very special because it has the combination of buttery shortbread and tangy lemon filling. IngredientsFor Shortbread Crust

1/2 cup Unsalted butter(Room Temperature)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/8 Tsp Salt

1 cup All purpose flour or Maida

For Lemon Filling:

1 cup sugar

2 large Eggs

1/3 cup Fresh Lemon juice

1 to 1 1/2 Tablespoon Lemon zest grated from the outer skin.

2 Tablespoon All purpose flour

Method:Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C. Grease the butter into 8 * 8 inch square pan or 8 inch round pan.For Shortbread Crust:Using the hand mixer or an electric mixer,beat the butter and sugar into smooth and creamy,Sift the flour and add salt to it. Add the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture and beat well until the dough starts to come together. Press the dough onto the bottom of the prepared pan and bake it for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the light brown around the edge. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.For Lemon Filling preparationUsing the hand mixer or an electric mixer, beat the sugar and eggs one by one at a time until fluffy and creamy.Add the lemon juice and lemon zest to it.Stir well until combined. Fold in the flour mixture gently.Pour the filling over the shortbread crust and bake it for about 15 to 17 minutes or until the filling has been set. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.Cut into squares or triangles and dust it with powdered sugar. Its the best to be eaten at the day.Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2.Vanilla Cupcake:Cupcakes are very popular in the USA world wide.:) Vanilla cupcakes are very easy and love to decorate it with sprinkles and frosting. Its lovely cupcake and cute swirls on the top of the cupcake.:)Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk (if u want to make the cake soft or else add 2 Tablespoon milk to it )

Method:Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C. Line the muffin liners into the muffin pan and set aside.Using an electric mixer or hand mixer,beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth,Add the eggs one by one at a time.Sift the flour,salt and baking powder and add to the wet mixture until its well combined.Add milk and vanilla extract and stir it well.Evenly pour the batter into each and every liner of the muffin pan and allow to bake it for about 17 to 20 minutes or just until the toothpick comes out clean.Do not over bake.Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cooling rack before frosting.Butter Cream Frosting :Ingredients

2 cups powdered or icing sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter(room temperature)

1 Tsp vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons milk or light cream

Assorted food colors or icing colors as Ur choice.

Method:Using an electric mixer or hand mixer,beat the butter until smooth,add vanilla extract and gradually add the sugar until its well combined.Add milk or cream and beat gently until the frosting is light and fluffy for about 3 to 5 minutes.Scrap down the sides as needed.Tint the desired food color of your choice.Put into the piping bag with a star tip and decorate onto the cupcake and garnish it with sprinkles or colored sugars or add fruit of your choice.Enjoy!!!!!3.Chocolate Cupcakes:Cupcakes are very popular in the USA world wide.:) Chocolate cupcakes are very moist if add oil to it and love to decorate it with sprinkles and frosting. This is for chocolate lovers!!!! :)Ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C. Line the muffin liners into the muffin pan and set aside.

Using an electric mixer or hand mixer,beat the butter or oil and sugar until creamy and smooth,Add the eggs one by one at a time and add vanilla extract.Sift the flour,salt and baking powder and add to the wet mixture until its well combined.Add cocoa powder into the boiling water and allow it to cool.Once cooled it ,add it to the batter.

Evenly pour the batter into each and every liner of the muffin pan and allow to bake it for about 17 to 20 minutes or just until the toothpick comes out clean.Do not over bake.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cooling rack before frosting.

Method:Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over the saucepan of simmering hot water.Allow it to cool after remove from the heat/ Using an electric mixer or hand mixer,beat the butter until smooth,add vanilla extract and gradually add the sugar until its well combined.Add the melted chocolate and beat gently until the frosting is light and glossy for about 3 to 5 minutes.Scrap down the sides as needed.

Put into the piping bag with a star tip and decorate onto the cupcake and garnish it with sprinkles or colored sugars or use chocolate garnishes.

Enjoy!!!!!4.Tres Leches Cake Its very popular in many parts of Latin America. Its a sponge cake soaked in a mixture of 3 kinds of milk. Its very light and moist. Here are the ingredients as below. If u want to add butter u can add to it or else omit.IngredientsSponge Cake :

1 cup All purpose flour

1/4 Tsp salt

1 /12 Tsp Baking powder

5 Whole eggs

1 cup sugar divided

1 Tsp Vanilla extract

1/3 cup milk

For soaking the cake :

1 can Evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup Heavy cream

Notes : In India if you don' t have evaporated milk.I think can use milk powder Try for it. For heavy cream use Amul cream.Method:Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C. Grease the butter onto the 13 * 9 inch pan(Rectangle one) until its coated.Set aside.Separate the eggs. sift the flour,salt and baking powder into the bowl and set aside. Using an electric mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and add 3/4 cup sugar to the bowl until its pale yellow and smooth. Stir in vanilla and milk. Add the dry mixture to the egg yolk mixture and stir it very gently.Wash the paddle attachment and bowl, Beat the egg whites on high speed until peak forms.Add 1/4 cup sugar while the mixer is on.beat well until the stiff forms.Fold the egg whites mixture into the batter very gently until its well combined.Pour into the greased pan and spread out evenly.Tap it on the counter top or work surface.Bake it for about 20 to 30 minutes till golden brown or until the tooth pick comes out clean after inserted.Allow to cool on the cooling rack. Set aside.Combine all the types of the milk as above. Once the cake is cooled.pierce the surface with a fork several times. Pour the milk mixture slowly and evenly as much as it can.Also the edges.Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes or overnight.Add the remaining milk mixture if u have.Icing the cake :

1 cup Heavy cream or Amul cream

2 to 3 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla extract.

Method:In an electric mixer or hand mixer whisk attachment mix all together till peak forms. Spread evenly over the surface of the soaked cake.Cut into squares and place it on the dessert or serving plate.Take a piping bag with star tip and put the whipped cream into it and decorate it on the top of the cake.Garnish it with whole or chopped cherries or straw berry.Serve chilled if you want.Keep it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes or else serve it immediately.Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Awaiting to hear your comments and your experience :)Wishing you very Happy Mother's Day :) Happy Baking!!!! :)

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Apple Strudel is a traditional Viennese strudel,a popular pastry in Austria. A strudel is a type of sweet or savory layered pastry with a filling inside. It consists of an oblong or any shaped strudel pastry with an apple filling inside.

The filling is made of thinly sliced cooking apples (Winesap apples) ,sugar,cinnamon,raisins and bread crumbs.

Apple Strudel dough is very thin,elastic dough made with flour,butter or oil and salt.Its difficult process and its being kneaded again and again till it gets smooth After kneading,the dough is rested for about 2 hours at-least, then rolled out on a wide work surface mostly on round or rectangle table and stretched until the dough reaches a thickness.

The filling is arranged in a line and spread evenly on a small section of dough. Lift the table cloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls and reaches the end of the dough. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it carefully and brush the melted butter on the top with pastry brush. The strudel is then oven baked and served warm.Its traditionally served in slices sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees F or 200 Degrees C.Line a baking sheet using parchment paper greased with butter on the top of the paper and set aside.

Method:

For the Strudel Filling :

In a frying pan or large skillet,heat 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter on a medium heat ,add the bread crumbs and roast till golden brown.It will take exact 2 to 3 minutes.Let it cool completely.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.

Mix the rum or juice or water and raisins in a bowl.

Keep the apples aside.

Fillings :)

Making the dough : Use an electric mixer if u have or else use it by your hand.

Electric Stand mixer :

Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment,combine the flour and salt into it.Add oil and water on low heat till it turns out to be soft dough.Make sure that it does not dry.Add water if needed.Take the dough out from the mixer

Change the attachment into dough hook, put the dough back and knead on medium speed until you get soft dough ball.

Take the dough out from the mixer and knead by your hand on an unfloured work surface.Knead for about 2 minutes.Take out the dough and pat/throw it down hard on the work surface.Shape the dough into a ball and transfer into bowl/plate. Apply oil on the top of the dough gently. Cover it with plastic wrap or damp cloth to cover and allow it to rest for about 2 hours least.

By using hand:

Take a big bowl,add flour,salt,oil and mix gently with warm water.Knead more and more on an unfloured work surface till you get more soft dough without sticking your hands.
Take out the dough and pat/throw it down hard on the work surface.Shape
the dough into a ball and transfer into bowl/plate. Apply oil on the top
of the dough gently. Cover it with plastic wrap or damp cloth to cover
and allow it to rest for about 2 hours least.

Working on the dough for making super thin & elastic :)

If you have dining table or table top surface,then cover your working area with a table cloth (fabric one)dust it with flour and rub it on the fabric cloth.Put your dough ball in the middle.
Flour well and roll it out as much as u can.

Pick out the dough by holding it by an edges and stretch it out gently by using back of your hands.Use some weight to hold the side and then continue stretching the other side by using your hands gently.Leave the thicker edge of the dough.Stretch and pull gently till u get very thin tissue as shown in my work out dough photo.

Spread with bread crumbs and walnuts

Rolled beautifully without sticking it :)

Before Baking :)

Ready to slice it :)

Filling it on the dough :

Spread the melted butter over the thin dough evenly by using your hands gently or with pastry light brush.

Sprinkle the buttered bread crumbs and chopped walnuts evenly on the dough.

Mix the apples with raisins rum mixture and the cinnamon and sugar.Also make sure the filling is without any liquid.If u mix apples with cinnamon sugar mixture,then it will ooze out the liquid.After making thin elastic dough then mix the apples with cinnamon sugar mixture and raisins mixture.

Spread the apple filling mixture evenly into a line on the side of the dough.

Fold the short edges of the dough onto the filling

Lift the tablecloth on the short end and allows the dough to roll again and again till it forms the end without sticking it on the table cloth.

Carefully lift the strudel slowly by using both hands or wide spatula to transfer on the baking sheet.

If u made long dough then u can curve it into horse shoe to fit.press the ends under the strudel.

If short then press the ends under the strudel.

Brush the top of the strudel with the remaining melted butter.

If you want an egg wash,then take 1 small egg.Mix it with little water and brush the top of the strudel.

Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or till golden brown.

Sliced :)

Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww What an aromatic smell at my home while baking :)

Allow it to cool for about 30 minutes before slicing or serve warm after being sliced if you can't wait :)

Sprinkle it with powdered sugar if you want.

Its the best day to eat as its baked today.

Serve it with tea or coffee as an accompaniment or as an snack!!! :)

Also can be served it on the top of whipped cream,vanilla ice cream or custard sauce

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Lava Cake :)

Molten Chocolate Cake is also known as Lava Cake have a rich chocolatey texture which is very soft and moist. Its the most favorite dessert in the U.S.A.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Unsalted butter cut into pieces.

1/2 cup to 1 cup Semi sweet or bitter sweet chocolate bars/chips or sweetened chocolate finely chopped.If you are using sweetened chocolate,reduce the amount of sugar and adjust it to the right consistency.)

3 Large eggs separated.

1/3 cup White fine sugar

1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon White sugar

Preparation :

Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F or 180 Degrees C. Grease the butter or use baking spray to the mold or ramekin or muffin tin or cup and dust the insides with white sugar or flour.Set aside.

Method:

In a heatproof bowl placed over the simmering saucepan,Melt the butter and chocolate.Remove from the heat and keep aside.

Using hand mixer or an electric mixer, Beat the egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until thick,pale and fluffy.Add vanilla extract then fold the melted chocolate mixture into it.

In another bowl, whip the egg whites by using wire whisk or hand mixer or whisk attachment in an electric miser until soft peak forms.Add gradually white sugar to it until stiff peak forms.

Gently fold the egg whites mixture into the chocolate egg mixture with spatula.Do not over-mix. Divide the batter between the prepared molds.Bake it for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the outside edges are set. Also in the center should be wet and wobbly.

Immediately remove it from the oven and set aside on the cooling rack for about 1 to 2 minutes. You can serve the cake in their molds or you can run the sharp knife or palette spatula around the edges of each cake and invert onto the center to the serving dessert plate.Always be careful while removing the mold.

Sprinkle on the top of each cake with confectioners sugar or dollop of ice cream flavor.Also add whipped cream on the top of each cake and garnish with strawberries and mint leaves.